Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-02-12
THE HEALTH OF THE STATE.
An Increase in the Death Rate for the
Month of January.

VI
An Increase in the Death Rate for the
Month of January.
DR.. Gerard G. Tyrell, Secretary of the
State Board of Health. reports as follows
for the month of January:
An uncalled for criticism in an inland
paper, rejecting upon one of our valued
correspondents for intimating thar disease
prevailed when but one death occurred
from it during the month, compels us to
explain that under the head of prevailing
diseases" it is intended simply to note
those affections which are noticed by OBJ
servers as occurring more frequently than
others in a community. If the diseases are
epidemic it is stated or if accompanied by
great malignancy, that fact is also men
toned, 1t is, however, a mistake to sup
pose that limited mortality necessarily
implies limited prevalence of disease, as
one Of the most prevalent diseases just now
in this State is influenza, and yet its NOR
tality is extremely small. The same may
be said of parotiditis, or mumps, which in
many places is epidemic, as it is now in
Sacramento, and yet no mortality is re-
corded as occurring from this cause. These
hypercriticisms on the work of the State
Board of Health are unjust, and made
without reflection. The Board has no other
purpose to serve than that of the people,
and any fact that will tend to increase their
welfare by warning them of the prevalence
of this disease or that, and enjoining them
to take precautionary measures according
", ought to be encouraged, and not made
the subject of captious criticism of those
gentlemen who so kindly supply the in
formation given.
Reports of deaths received from sixty
three towns and cities, with an estimated
population of $50, $50, give total of 915
as the mortality for the month of January,
which indicates a decided increase in the
death rate over that of December The re-
ports Of sickness received for the month of
January indicate an increase of disease
throughout the State, especially of those
affecting the respiratory organs. 1t is not
easy to understand the influence that sea-
son has upon the spread of disease, but
that the meteorological conditions which
existed during the month had consider
able influence in developing pulmonary at
fections cannot be doubted. We find from
the hundred reports received from all parts
of the State that pneumonia, bronchitis and
influenza are mentioned as present in all of
them. diphtheria in great number, and
anu uNstlIltiN III NtIy ICN- III
these classes of cases atmospheric condi-
tons take a prominent part i'll the produc-
ton, and may be potent means OF their
transmission under certain circumstances.
Pneumonia prevails to a large extent in
San Francisco 1t is also noticed as pres
ent in Oakland, Sacramento, Gridley, Hills
Ferry, Fall River Watsonville, Napa, Col
ton, Arbuckle. Alturas, Anderson, Merced,
lone, Chico Forest Hill, Los Angeles, Mar
tinez and other places.
Bronchitis is lik wise present in San
Francisco, Sacramento, Cloverdae, Upper
Lake, Fresno, Pomona, Martintz. Forest
Hill Sonora, Anahein. Arhuckie, Fort
Bidwel, Alturas, lone, MaripuSa, Ander-
son, Modesto, Nicolaus, Los Angeles and
Oakland.
Influenza may De said to be epidemic
throughout the State it is of mild type,
and not generally attended by that extreme
prostration so characteristic Of the disease
in its severer forms.
Whooping-cough is present III Sacra-
mento, Fall River, Lodi, Pomona, Will
liams, Newcastle, Merced, Oakland, Los
Angeles and Nevada City.
Diphtheria has been prevalent in San
Francisco bat is now atating. This disease
has been attributed 10 choked sewers in
that city, but it is conceded by all sanitari-
ans that choked sewers or sewer gas plays
but secondary part in the developing of
diphtheria, and then only by lowering the
vitality of the residents of insanitary dis
tricts, rendering them more susceptible to
attack should the germs of the disease be
imported into their midst. Sewer gas has
no power to produce diphtheria, in the ab-
sence of the specific bacillus upon wich the
disease depends. The presence of a single
<xf. l.
necessity of rigid quarantine to prevent its
spread. Every case should be isolated, no.
tice given of its presence public wakes and
funerals positively forbidden, and the
premises upon which the disease occurred
be strictly dislnfected, under the personal
supervision of the Health Officer. To
carelessness upon the part of the authori-
ties is the spread of diphtheria to be attrib-
uted. 1t is p~eventable disease. DR.. c.
Evans writes from Modesto that the disease
there is fast disappearing. In San Diego,
under the supervision of its efficient Health
Officer, DIR. T. l.. Magee, but one case was
allowed to occur. 1t will, however, require
the stimulus of fear before our town and
county authorities will be compelled to do
their duty in limiting contagious disease.
Scarlet fever is reported in Fresno, Fall
River, Pomona, Dixon, Santa Rosa, Cotton,
Auburn and Modesto. The disease is very
mild and the mortality limited
Measles is prevalent in Gridley, Fall
River, Pomona, Santa Cruz, Bakersfield,
Ontario, Chico and Los Angeles. The type
of the disease is mild.
Typhoid fever is frequently noticed in
San Francisco, and occurred in Sacra-
mento, Gait, Santa Cruz Monterey, Lake
port, Los Angeles, Stockton and Petaluma.
1t is, however, remarkable the absence of
mention of this disease in many of the re-
ports of sickness received, which indicates
very favorable sanitary condition of the
towns omitting it. Its prevalence is no.
where mentioned.
Diarrhma and dysentery are scarcely
mentioned as prevailing disease, and
their absence is worthy of note.
Erysipelas has been noticed as appearing
in Wheatland, Fresno, Williams, Lemoore
Arbuckle. Anderson and st. Helena. The
cases are all sporadic and without malig-
nancy.
Smallpox still continues in Mexico. The
report of Consul Willard up to January
31st, reports sixteen deaths from this dis
ease during the month. II is also reported
in Hermosillo and other towns in Mexico
but has not crossed into California as far as
heard from; at any time, however, quar-
antine on our southern border may be de-
manded, and provision should be made by
our Legislature looking to that contingency
arising.